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What Is Prevertebral Space and Its Importance?

November 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Prevertebral space is a space in the neck region.

Anatomically, it is defined by the anterior part of the cervical spine and the deep layer of the deep cervical fascia running between the transverse processes of the spine.

The prevertebral space extends from the skull base into the mediastinum and ends at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra.

The prevertebral space contains

  • The prevertebral muscles (longus colli and longus capitis)
  • Vertebral vessels
  • Scalene muscles
  • Phrenic nerve
  • proximal part of the brachial plexus.

On lateral cervical spine xray, the normal prevertebral space looks like this. [Read more...]

Popularity: 3% [?]

Filed Under: Cervical Spine, Spine Tagged With: , , ,

What Are Bone Spurs or Osteophytes

November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

A bone spur is a bony growth formed on normal bone. In medical language, it is termed as osteophyte. A bone spur is an extra bone and can cause symptoms due to pressure on adjacent tissues.

Spurs can be commonly found in

  • Spine
  • Shoulder
  • Hand
  • Hip
  • Knee
  • Foot.

How Does A Spur Form?

A bone spur is response by the body to some sort of external stimulus. This  repair  response may lead to formation of extra bone called spur. [Read more...]

Popularity: 2% [?]

Filed Under: Arthritis Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Volar Barton Fracture of Distal Radius- Lateral Xray

November 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Volar Barton fracture is an intra-articular fracture of distal end of radius bone. The fracture is named after John Rhea Barton, an American surgeon who first described this in 1814.

The fracture is further divided into volar and dorsal type depending upon displacement of the distal fragment which can be either

Volar – Towards the palmar side

Dorsal – To side opposite where palm is.

volar-barton-fracture

The above xray picture is of 20 years old male who fell on outstretched hand and had volar Barton fracture.

The patient was treated with open reduction and internal fixation using volar buttress plate.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Filed Under: Musculoskeletal Radiology, Orthopaedic Images, Wrist Injuries Tagged With: , , ,

Bamboo Spine In ankylosing Spondylitis – An Xray

November 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Ankylosing spondylitis inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disease affecting  joints in the spine and the sacroilium in the pelvis, causing eventual fusion of the spine.

The typical patient is a young male  with chronic pain and stiffness in the lower part of the spine or sometimes the entire spine.

Bamboo spine is the term give to appearance of the spine on xray as a result of fusion or ankylosis of vertebrae. The spine is completely ankylosed due to syndesmophytes, fused facet (apophyseal) joints, and paraspinal ligamentous calcification.

A 46 years old man presented to out patient department due to complaints of backache for past 4 months. There was no prior history of back pain or pain in any other joints. The xray picture looked liked this. [Read more...]

Popularity: 5% [?]

Filed Under: Musculoskeletal Radiology, Orthopaedic Images, Spine Tagged With: , , ,

Avascular Necrosis Bilateral Head of Femur With Arthritic Changes – Xray

November 23, 2009 By 1 Comment

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of head of femur occurs when blood supply to the head is jeopardized. That may occur when blood vessels are injured or the pressure within the bone rises enough to cause narrowing of blood vessels resulting in ischaemia of the bone.

The various known causes of avascular necrosis of hip are

  • Trauma
  • Prolonged steroid use
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Gaucher’s disease
  • Pancreatitis
  • Radiation treatments and chemotherapy

There are percentage of people in whom the cause cannot be determined and are labeled as idiopathic AVN.

avascular-necrosis-bilateral-head-femur

[Read more...]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Filed Under: Arthritis, Joint Replacement, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Orthopaedic Images Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Xray of Fracture Of Scapula

November 22, 2009 By 1 Comment

Fracture of scapula often occur as a result of direct trauma to it. Most of the scapular fractures can be managed on conservative treatment.

This is an xray picture of 48 years old male who fell on the ground and landed on his shoulder after his bike god skidded.
scapula-fracture
The patient also had closed fracture tibia which was treated with closed reduction and interlock nailing.

The fracture in the picture was treated by keeping the limb in an arm pouch.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Filed Under: Musculoskeletal Radiology, Orthopaedic Images, Shoulder Girdle Injuries Tagged With: , , ,

Open Severely Comminuted Fracture Tibia and Fibula

November 19, 2009 By 20 Comments

Open fractures occur when the covering skin layer is breached by external force or the fracture fragment injuring from within.

Open fractures are very common occurrence in leg bones because the soft tissue envelopes are very thin around the bones especially tibia in its antero medial aspect.

open-fracture-tibia-fibula-comminuted

A 20 year old young male was hit by a motorbike while he was attempting to cross the road. He presented to casualty with large wound over the middle third circumference of the leg. [Read more...]

Popularity: 7% [?]

Filed Under: Leg Injuries, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Orthopaedic Images Tagged With: , , ,

Few Terms used In Radiography

November 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Because xrays are inherent part of the diagnosis making in orthopedics and I refer to them quite frequently, I thought I would write about the terms used in the xray procedures frequently.

AP ( Antero-Posterior) : The xray beam goes from anterior to posterior direction

PA ( Postero-Anterior): The xray beam goes from anterior to posterior

Lateral: Projection taken with the central ray perpendicular to the midsaggital plane. A mid sggital plane would divide bodies into anterior and posterior halves.

Horizontal Beam Lateral, Horizontal Ray Lateral, Horizontal Central Ray, or Cross Table Lateral. Used to obtain a lateral projection usually when patients are unable to move.

Oblique: Xray at an angle to any of the body planes. Described by the angle of obliquity and the portion of the body the X-ray beam exits; right or left and posterior or anterior. [Read more...]

Popularity: 1% [?]

Filed Under: Musculoskeletal Radiology Tagged With: , , , ,

Fracture Humerus Upper End – Anteroposterior Xray

November 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Fractures of upper end or proximal humerus are common in all ages and the fracture pattren varies with age. While young adults suffer this injury with high velocity trauma, the fracture can occur with trivial trauma in old age.

fracture-proximal-humerusThis is due to osteoporosis in old age.

While the fracture upper end humerus requires surgical intervention in young adults more commonly, in older patients the fracture may be treated conservatively.

The xray in picture belongs to a 75 years old lady who suffered this injury following fall on hand in her bathroom.

The patient was put on broad arm sling and treated conservatively.

Till last follow up the fracture had started showing signs of union.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Filed Under: Musculoskeletal Radiology, Orthopaedic Images, Shoulder Girdle Injuries Tagged With: , ,

What Is Open Mouth View Xray?

November 16, 2009 By 2 Comments

An open mouth view xray is a special view to visualize upper cervical spine problems. In routine an anteroposterior cervical spine view shows the spine from  C3  segment and is  usually less helpful in diagnosing acute injuries.

The open mouth view is essential for excluding a C1 arch or odontoid process fracture. Odontoid process is part of second cervical vertebra that projects upward to articulate with C1 vertebra.

This view is also called Odontoid view.

It is a very useful view in traumatic injuries of upper cervical spine. [Read more...]

Popularity: 10% [?]

Filed Under: Cervical Spine, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Orthopaedic Images, Spine Injuries Tagged With: , , ,
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